The present invention relates to a method and system for vehicle emissions testing, and, more particularly, to a decentralized method and system that uses the On-Board Diagnostics unit of the vehicle to be tested, a method and system that combines the security and reliability of centralized emissions testing with the convenience of decentralized testing programs.
Recognizing the adverse effects that vehicle emissions have on the environment, the 1990 Clean Air Act requires that communities in geographic regions having high levels of air pollution implement Inspection and Maintenance (“I/M”) programs for vehicles in the particular geographic regions. Such I/M programs are intended to improve air quality by periodically testing the evaporative and exhaust systems of vehicles in the community and ensuring their proper operation and maintenance. By ensuring that the evaporative and exhaust systems of vehicles are operational and properly maintained, air pollution resulting from vehicle emissions in the geographic region should be drastically reduced.
Currently, I/M programs in the United States typically employ some method of “tailpipe” testing as the primary means of inspection. Although there are several different variations in common tailpipe testing methods, the core function of tailpipe testing remains the same. First, a probe is attached to, or inserted into, the tailpipe of the vehicle being tested to collect exhaust as the engine of the vehicle is running. The collected exhaust is then introduced into a series of gas analyzers in order to determine its composition. Finally, a report of the amount of measured pollutants is generated.
Regardless of the specific tailpipe testing method used, all I/M programs can be classified as either centralized, decentralized, or a hybrid thereof. Centralized I/M programs require that vehicle owners take their vehicles to one of the community's centralized inspection stations. Each such inspection station is designed to maximize vehicle throughput without sacrificing test integrity and auditing ability. Since each inspection station in a centralized program is typically “test only” and often operated by an independent contractor retained by a governmental body, the inspection stations are generally very secure and serve as a deterrent to fraudulent testing practices. However, although centralized inspection stations offer the statistical tracking and fraud deterrent that the governmental body might desire, they are often criticized because they are not necessarily convenient to vehicle owners. Indeed, a community may decide in favor of motorist convenience and opt for a decentralized tailpipe testing program.
In a decentralized I/M program, a greater number of inspection stations is scattered throughout the community. These inspection stations are often located within a private business, such as a mechanic's repair shop, and are administered by the private citizens employed by the business. Therefore, in many cases, no single central entity supplies the equipment and personnel required for the I/M program.
While decentralized testing is well-suited for customer convenience, the potential for fraudulent and inadequate testing is much greater than in a centralized program. As such, some practices have been implemented to serve as a fraud deterrent in decentralized test programs. For example, certification of a decentralized inspection station is often required. If a particular inspection station was found to be purposely passing non-compliant vehicles, its certification could be revoked, thereby preventing it from legally administering vehicle emissions tests. Of course, since purchasing the equipment required for vehicle emissions testing is an extremely expensive endeavor, the loss of certification serves as a severe financial disincentive to fraudulent and inadequate testing practices. Furthermore, the private business might also be stripped of other professional licenses or certifications required to operate the business, providing another disincentive to fraudulent and inadequate testing practices.
The Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) has now developed a new mobile source emission factor model, referred to as MOBILE6, and has approved a new method of vehicle emission testing for use in I/M programs that makes use of the On-Board Diagnostics (“OBD”) unit. This unit is installed on most of the vehicles manufactured since 1996 that are authorized to be operated in the U.S. Specifically, the OBD unit is designed for communication with an electronic scanning device that is temporarily connected to the vehicle, thereby allowing for prompt and efficient identification of any vehicle components or devices which the OBD unit believes to be malfunctioning. Included among the components monitored by the OBD unit are the vehicle's evaporative and exhaust systems, the systems which are the primary focus of I/M programs and vehicle emissions testing.
As mentioned above, MOBILE6 is a new mobile source emission factor model developed by the EPA. MOBILE6 uses a series of mathematical algorithms to determine if a community or geographic region is in compliance with the federal standards for mobile source (i.e., vehicular) emissions. A major factor in this mathematical computation is the credit assigned to the different types of tailpipe testing methods and OBD testing. The MOBILE6 model favors OBD testing, assigning a greater credit to such testing as compared to tailpipe testing methods. The high degree of credit assigned to OBD testing in the MOBILE6 model, along with its relative ease of use and low cost, make it a significant component of future I/M programs and vehicle emissions testing.
Of course, since OBD units are only installed on vehicle manufactured since 1996, OBD testing may be implemented in conjunction with existing I/M programs that employ tailpipe testing methods. It is not difficult to envision this OBD testing being incorporated into an existing centralized I/M environment. Specifically, since the centralized inspection stations are already established, a vehicle owner would simply go to the inspection station as before, but would have the OBD testing performed rather than traditional tailpipe testing. As mentioned above, since the inspection stations in a centralized program are often operated by an independent contractor retained by a governmental body, the inspection stations are generally very secure and serve as a deterrent to fraudulent testing practices.
However, implementing OBD testing in a decentralized I/M program raises serious issues concerning fraudulent and inadequate testing practices. While a current decentralized I/M program employing tailpipe testing methods could be expanded to include OBD testing, it could be further expanded such that a vehicle owner would not need to go to a mechanic or similar business for an emissions test. With OBD testing replacing traditional tailpipe testing methods, the amount of training and equipment needed to properly administer the test is drastically reduced. Whereas a skilled mechanic with properly maintained equipment was required for tailpipe testing methods, anyone with an OBD scanning device and a minimal amount of instruction can now perform OBD testing. Therefore, a private business or individual can enter the decentralized “test only” market for vehicle emissions testing without the certification a mechanic would earn and without the expensive equipment investment. In this scenario, the disincentives for fraudulently testing vehicles are greatly diminished. Thus, there is also a concern that unintentional passing of noncompliant vehicles will become more prevalent due to lack of supervision and training. Finally, while the administration of the OBD testing is of paramount importance, another concern arises with respect to data transfer. In current decentralized I/M programs, emission test data is often transferred from the inspection stations to a database at a central management facility via the Internet or dedicated phone line. Since OBD testing operations could be established with little financial investment, there is no guarantee that these operations would have facilities to securely and reliably transfer emission test data to the appropriate central management facility.
Such concerns cast a great deal of skepticism on the mass availability of accurate and secure OBD testing in a decentralized I/M environment. From the possibilities of fraudulent testing practices and erroneous test results to the uncertainty of data reporting and accuracy, there is clearly a need for developing a structured approach to implementing OBD testing in a decentralized I/M environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,775,602, which is also owned by the assignee of the present application, describes one proposed decentralized method and system for vehicle emissions testing that uses the OBD unit of the vehicle to be tested and provides the security and reliability of centralized OBD testing. Generally, the method and system described in the '602 patent includes a remote overview or supervisory location in communication with a plurality of decentralized inspection stations or test locations. Supervisory personnel at the remote overview location communicate with the inspectors at the individual test locations through an Internet connection, satellite communications, or similar means of data transport. The remote overview location operates much like a bank of hotline operators. At the beginning of an emissions test, the inspector at a particular inspection location is randomly assigned to a test supervisor at the remote overview location. This test supervisor is in video and data communication with the inspection location and thus is able to monitor and audit all aspects of the OBD testing process, including a review of the actual test data. If there is any perceived impropriety in the testing (e.g., suspicion of fraud, inadequate testing, or equipment malfunction), the test supervisor can disapprove of the test and reject its results. Furthermore, the remote overview location also preferably serves as a central hub for the receipt of all data resulting from the emissions testing, ensuring that all pertinent data is properly transferred to and received by the governmental body that maintains the vehicle inspection records.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a similar decentralized method and system for vehicle emissions testing that uses the OBD unit of the vehicle to be tested, a method and system that combines the security and reliability of centralized OBD testing with the speed and accessibility of decentralized testing programs, but further allows for a “self-service” inspection of the vehicle by the vehicle owner.
This and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following description.